SWARTZ CREEK NEWS

The Latest News, Updates and Opinions

Flint Journal extras: See below for a district-by-district comparison of the graduation rates.

GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- About one in every six high-schoolers in Genesee County did not graduate in four years, according to 2007 data released Monday by the state of Michigan.

It's a significant drop from previous graduation rates, partly because state officials are using a new formula -- which they say gives a more accurate account of how many students graduate on time.

Some school officials say isn't a fair assessment. They believe their districts are being punished for helping students who need it the most: those in alternative education programs.

Flint Journal extras: See below for a district-by-district comparion of the graduation rates.

GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- About one in every six high-schoolers in Genesee County did not graduate in four years, according to 2007 data released Monday by the state of Michigan.

It's a significant drop from previous graduation rates, partly because state officials are using a new formula -- which they say gives a more accurate account of how many students graduate on time.

Some school officials say isn't a fair assessment. They believe their districts are being punished for helping students who need it the most: those in alternative education programs.

Submitted photoA barn belonging to Edmund Calkins (third person from left) was donated to Crossroads Village in 1983. He was the son of Caleb Calkins and the barn was originally on a farm on Morrish near Elms Road.

SWARTZ CREEK, Michigan — Winter roads and construction can make for treacherous driving, but imagine making it through the woods before pavement or gravel was there to guide the way.

This was life for members of the Calkins family, among one of the first to live in Clayton Township, and have a road named for them.

Calkins Road, which runs from Beecher Road in Flint to M-13, bears the family name, said Bill Morgan, president and founder of the Swartz Creek Area Historical Society.

Photo | Jim Cheek A walk-through raises a few smiles as the Swartz Creek High School Marching Band practices their moves.

SWARTZ CREEK, Michigan — Members of the high school marching band are tuning up their sound and moving their feet to gear up for the fall season.

The band will rock out to music from the Yes at its pre-game show before the Sept. 5 football game and its entire show Sept. 12.

"They're going to see something different than what everyone else is doing," said John Michailo, co-director of the high school marching band.

SWARTZ CREEK, Michigan — The city and Clayton Township are facing rising costs for the joint Swartz Creek Area Fire Department and an expired contract for its operation.

Chief Brent Cole presented the department's proposed 2009 budget to the fire board with an 11 percent increase in expenditures during its meeting on Monday. There was no vote on the budget.

Most of the more than $32,000 in increases is related to new personnel, including training and equipment for hires, and other additions requested by the department's officers, Cole said.

Dorothy Jozefiak

SWARTZ CREEK, Michigan -- Throughout her lifetime Dorothy A. Jozefiak put her family ahead of herself.

Jozefiak was always there when family needed her, whether it was dropping out of high school to care for her sick mother or providing snacks for her granddaughter's soccer practices.

Jozefiak, 75, of Swartz Creek died of cancer Tuesday at Genesys Hospice Care Center.

And, in her last few months, it was the family's turn to give back to the one person who was always there for them, said daughter Mary Ann Livesay of Lake Fenton.

SWARTZ CREEK, Michigan — To Mike Arthur, playing music shouldn't be like eating Brussels sprouts — students shouldn't do it just because it's good for them.

Making music fun for aspiring musicians at any age or skill level has been a goal of Arthur and co-owner Jon Anderson since they opened Music-cisuM Instruction Studios in May.

The studio offers lessons in guitar, piano, drums, voice and bass guitar and is the second location for Anderson and Arthur, a Swartz Creek native.

"We want to make music accessible and ridiculously fun for everybody," Anderson said.

MUNDY TOWNSHIP, Michigan — Tim Cusatis was a bowler — not a runner — before he had a heart transplant two years ago.

But Cusatis, 50, will participate in both sports at the National Kidney Foundation's U.S. Transplant Games July 11-16 in Pittsburgh. He signed up for the 800-meter race and the 5K race, which is a 3.1-mile road race. He will also bowl singles and doubles in the sport he was best at before a sudden heart condition left him in need of surgery.

"I never had a heart problem before," Cusatis said. "In January 2006 I went to the clinic for a sinus infection. The doctor told me that I had a good heart and to keep it that way."

The following month he started getting flu-like symptoms and decided to seek care in a hospital emergency room. He said he asked the doctors when he was getting out of the hospital because the Super Bowl was playing in Detroit later that evening. The doctor shocked him by telling him he was being admitted because he was having a heart attack, although he didn't feel like he was.